IPOH: The grass upgrading works at Perak Stadium are expected to be completed by June 2025, according to the state education, higher education, youth, and sports committee chairman.
Khairudin Abu Hanipah stated that the upgrades will commence once the MSSM athletic tournament, scheduled from Oct 20 to 24, concludes.
"After the tournament, the stadium will be closed for drainage system upgrades and grass replacement. The work is expected to be finished by June 2025," he said after the National Sports Day celebrations, officiated by Mentri Besar Saarani Mohd on Saturday (Oct 12).
During the stadium's closure, upcoming Super League matches will take place at the Manjung Stadium.
Khairudin mentioned, "Perak FC will play in the Super League at Manjung Stadium with their first match against Sabah FC on Oct 19."
The Ipoh City Council (MBI) has appointed a contractor for the upgrades.
After completion, the Malaysian Football League (MFL) will inspect the field, and if suitable, the next Super League season might return to Perak Stadium.
Additionally, Khairudin mentioned that the Youth and Sports Ministry has allocated RM500,000 for the upgrade projects, and more funds will be requested if needed.
Addressing comments from Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh about state governments' reluctance to sponsor Petronas Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL), Khairudin said the issue would be discussed with the Mentri Besar.
"We will discuss the matter at the meeting. Participation is only in Taiping, so we will assess the event's impact on state development and activities," he said.
He added, "We haven't officially discussed this yet. If there are instructions or circulars regarding cooperation between federal and state governments, we will address it in the next AMK meeting."
Approximately 8,000 participants are expected at the National Sports Day state-level celebrations.
Saarani noted that the Malaysian Sports Culture Index 2023 shows about 52% of Malaysians are now active in sports, up from 48% the previous year.
"This clearly indicates growing awareness of fitness importance. The government has allocated RM40mil through RMK-12 to support community sports activities, particularly in rural areas," he said.
